Stop dressing so tacky for church

[prisonchaplain]

But would Jesus even care about the attire, if you came with a willing heart and a listening ear? The most poor have no good clothes, would they be excluded because they are poor?

 

The main point here is valid.  Jesus was a "come as you can" rabbi. 

 

On the other hand, the social trend has been for parishioners in poorer neighborhoods to dress in their best.  Church is the big activity of the week.  God's worth being presentable for.  It's in the upper middle class churches that dressing more casual became successful first.  The thought was that "dress up" was for the work place.  The suite or dress representing the burdens and stresses of earning a paycheck.  Church became the place to relax, destress, and enjoy the presence of God, unencumbered.

 

Funny how quickly the polo and khakis turned into the crumpled clothes in the corner that I never bothered to put in the laundry, though. 

[Iggy]

When I lived in AZ, way too many Plus Sized women were wearing the stretch leggings and crop tops. UGH! There aren't many store fronts sporting large windows there like here in the Pac NW. so they couldn't see themselves in full frontal view as they walked in from the parking lot. 

 

BUT in most of the stores that sell clothing, there are full length mirrors on every post - granted those posts are only a mere 18" wide! - it was enough to keep my eyes shielded inbetween horse blinders! I wore cotton, button up, short sleeve blouses and light weight capri's. At that time I was nearly 150 pounds overweight. There is no way on this Lord's Green Earth I would ever stuff myself into the lycra/cotton stretch leggings and polyester crop tops! EEEkkkkk- I want my bosoms and belly camouflaged -  Not exposed for all to gawk and stare at.

 

Then my biggest pet peeve - ALL of the Amply Endowed Plus Size for Ladies clothing stores were selling garments that I have seen on TV shows depicting culturally disadvantaged SKINNY females of the night wearing. Hot, hot pants, low cut, crop tops, lycra leggings, low riding hip hugging skirts, etc. ALL in rhinestone covered animal prints. 

 

Any woman who is at minimum 1X and at max 5X - is not going to stuff her Ample body into animal print lycra/polyester fabric body paint so she goes around looking like a Hippo Street Walker.

 

I complained to management and corporate - their response: According to our research and observations- this is what the majority of the women in your area are asking for. My response: Is that a fact! Then why are your Super, Duper Clearance racks where you have nearly your entire original stock of these degrading garments marked at 75% off last marked-down price and they are not and have not sold??

 

Now, take them over to Kmart, and they will sell like hot cakes. But when I go to Rooman's, Lane Bryant and Jessica London stores, and your lowest regular price for a blouse is an average of $50.00 - and jeans are $79.00 - Don't give me the Jungle Print Hooker clothes. 

 

That is why I shop Woman Within. My favorite dress is actually a house dress/lounger (http://www.womanwithin.com/clothing/Petite-seersucker-snapfront-lounger-by-Only-Necessities.aspx?PfId=58168&DeptId=9445&ProductTypeId=1#.U1azlvldXNk ) Those of you whose mother's are now in their 80's and 90's - chances are they wore house dresses in the house only. They were snap up, or zip up, mostly cotton, waltz length, with roomy pockets. I am 61 years old, and I prefer these to the knit, too low in front, no sleeves, too tight in the bodice dresses that seem to be the fashion now. For us Endowed in the Temple ladies, that means we have to wear a short sleeve T under it, (if there is room at the sleeves) or wear a sweater/bolero/jacket over it.

 

These lounging dresses are so comfy, pretty and modest. Plus for me, whose internal thermostat is permanently set at Way Too Warm, they are lightweight seersucker. When I bought them they were on sale for $19.99, and you had a choice of the long or shorter hems. 

 

The Fred Meyer store here, listened to us Large Ladies and now has a larger section devoted to us. More than just the knit T-shirts, sweat pants and jeans. Since their remodel and addition last year, they now have casual dresses/skirts/blouses and dressy dresses, slacks, blouses and cardigans, jackets, and my favorite mid sleeve, no buttons, w/pockets, very lightweight and long sweater. The new skirts and blouses I have don't have pockets. Need somewhere to put my Church Library Key rather than have it dangling from a noisy key chain as I go from Sacrament to Library, Sunday School to Library and after RS to the Library. Got them at clearance plus 30% off last marked price plus additional 10% at check stand. Got 4 for the price of the most expensive original ($79.99) price!!! They are pretty long - not really meant for a 5'4" woman - but I like them that long.   

[Iggy]

As a college student, I can't afford to buy too many nice clothes. It actually took me a while to figure out white shirts are standard so I came to shirt with a shirt and tie, but the shirt wouldn't be white. In an attempt to "fit in" more I ended up buying two white shirts, what I could afford.

 

But now I feel underdressed because I don't have a suit jacket. They are expensive. Hopefully soon.

 

I think if your heart is in the right place, you will dress respectfully. That may not always be a suit (I've shown up once in a button down shirt, jeans and sneakers because my flight made it home early and it was either go like that or miss church) but it is dressing humbly and respectfully. Not run down t-shirts and flip flops.

 

Honeslty, I rather you go to church with an open heart willing to learn than skip because you don't have the clothes (or time to change).

Andy - my husband's suit jacket has long since seen better days - he bought it nearly 30 years ago in California. Since being in this Branch, he realized that only the Branch Presidency wear suits. The rest of the men wear sweater vests, sweaters, sports jackets. The cost to get him a suit jacket would be $300.00. We would have to travel 100 miles to the nearest Big & Tall store, and have then custom fit him. His biceps are HUGE, his forearms shorter than normal, and his belly is much more prominent than their standard sizes for big men. Then we would have to wait two weeks, go back and hope they measured him correctly. 

 

Through King Size we got him a zip up cardigan. Any button up shirt and tie looks good under it. He still won't wear pastel button up shirts - I think it is his generation (he is 72 yo after all), His shirts we buy exclusively at the Distribution Center - via online. They fit him, and they are nearly half the cost of the same shirt at Big & Tall, or even King Size. Plus, since we are in the US, shipping is free. The last time we went to the Temple, we went to the Distribution Center located at Deseret Books and bought him 4 shirts, a pair of white pants, white shoes and 4 pairs of white, diabetic socks (bigger in the calf and not restricting). Now he wants more cardigans, and I am thinking of getting him a clip on bow tie or two. The regular tie, just doesn't show- why waste it?? I think he would look sharp in bow tie. 

 

I need to clean his old white trousers - they are way, way too small, and find someone who can wear them. I did the same with my white dress. I will never be a size 14 again - but I found a sister it fit, and gave it to her on her endowment day. 

[Guest]

I bought 2 suits from Men's Wearhouse (pants and jacket set) for $149 a few Christmases ago.  The suits were on clearance (from $299) and then there was a Buy 1 Get 1 Free promo.  Sometimes you can catch really good sales.  Burlington Coat Factory has really good sales periodically too.

[onethatislazy]

I for one dress down for some of the very reasons others have brought up here. The judgment we meet against others the same will be given back at the day of judgment. 

 

 

the worst sinners, according to Jesus, are not the harlots and publicans, but the religious leaders with their insistence on proper dress and grooming, their careful observance of all the rules, their precious concern for status-symbols, their strict legality, their pious patriotism. Longhairs, beards, and necklaces, LSD and rock, Big Sur and Woodstock, come and go, but Babylon is always there: rich, respectable, immovable… We want to be vindicated in our position and to know that the world is on our side as we all join in a chorus of righteous denunciation; the haircut becomes the test of virtue in a world where Satan deceives and rules by appearances. - hugh nibley

 

The book of Mormon truly testifies against us. 

 

 

     Alma 31:27 Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are swallowed up in their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto thee with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness, with the vain things of the world.

 28 Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets, and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say—We thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee, while others shall perish.

Alma 32,

2 And it came to pass that after much labor among them, they began to have success among the poor class of people; for behold, they were cast out of the synagogues because of the coarseness of their apparel—

 3 Therefore they were not permitted to enter into their synagogues to worship God, being esteemed as filthiness; therefore they were poor; yea, they were esteemed by their brethren as dross; therefore they were poor as to things of the world; and also they were poor in heart.

[Guest]

I for one dress down for some of the very reasons others have brought up here. The judgment we meet against others the same will be given back at the day of judgment. 

 

I don't know how you got "judging" out of this thread topic.  The article is not about judging other's clothing.  The article is about our own personal standards when it comes to the way we dress as we show up for church.  We are not comparing what you wear versus what I wear.  We are comparing what you wear to a job interview or the opera or to meet the President of the United States to what you wear to Church on Sunday and wondering how people justify dressing up for the President but not for God.  We are not even saying showing up in a suit-and-tie for the President and showing  up in pajamas for God is a bad thing... we're just talking about people's reasons for doing so.

[Palerider]

Pajama night at Walmart this Friday.....the first 100 people get in FREE

[Palerider]

I failed to see someone judging in this thread.

[Iggy]

Pajama night at Walmart this Friday.....the first 100 people get in FREE

Laugh button!!! Need the laugh button. Or at least a Guffaw Button!!!

[Drpepper]

Dress standards are very much apart of the ethos we live in.

I once was in a ward that was very affluent. The dress standard was so high that each Sunday was like walking the red carpet. This was the culture of the ward. It was easy in a situation like this to get carried away in appearance over repentance. I've also been in churches where Women are dressed up but the clothing manufacturer seems to have left half the material on the cutting floor. Yes, it can be quite distracting to listen to the sermon, preacher, minister, priest, when the lady in front of you is attracting attention off her own. Personally I'm just glad to see you there. Lds does have its own culture though. Even lately I've been on the recieving end of various comments regarding the stubble on my face. It seems to some if you haven't shaved for a while your lessor in Gods eyes. Luckily I've been around long enough to know when to take notice of others and when not to.

[Guest]

Oh!  I forgot to mention... I wore a pantsuit for Easter Sunday.  I went to two wards and there was not a single hullabaloo about it - not even a surreptitious glance down my leg...

 

I don't wear pants to church normally because I have lots of nice skirts to wear.  This time, I wanted to wear Easter colors and all my Easter-colored skirts are too tight on me.  Yes, I need to lose weight.  But, in the meantime, I opted for Easter color pants instead of non-Easter color skirt... Nice pantsuit still...

[andypg]

Through King Size we got him a zip up cardigan. Any button up shirt and tie looks good under it. He still won't wear pastel button up shirts - I think it is his generation (he is 72 yo after all), His shirts we buy exclusively at the Distribution Center - via online. They fit him, and they are nearly half the cost of the same shirt at Big & Tall, or even King Size. Plus, since we are in the US, shipping is free.

 

A member of the bishopric here wears a zip up cardigan instead of a suit. It looks like I'll be making a trip to Macy's sometime this week!

 

And I totally forgot about the Distribution Center selling white shirts. I'll look into buying some more there! Thanks!

[The Folk Prophet]

Oh!  I forgot to mention... I wore a pantsuit for Easter Sunday.  I went to two wards and there was not a single hullabaloo about it - not even a surreptitious glance down my leg...

 

I don't wear pants to church normally because I have lots of nice skirts to wear.  This time, I wanted to wear Easter colors and all my Easter-colored skirts are too tight on me.  Yes, I need to lose weight.  But, in the meantime, I opted for Easter color pants instead of non-Easter color skirt... Nice pantsuit still...

 

I can get behind reasoning like this. The formal protest.... Well...that's another thread and don't want to hijack. :)

[robherr]

Personally, I wear work boots all the time. I've had dress shoes before, but I just don't like wearing them. My work boots look really nice btw. I'm just not a suit coat wearing kind of guy, if there was a dress code, I would have to respectfully decline to follow it.

[skalenfehl]

Alma 1:26 And when the priests left their labor to impart the word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors; and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every manaccording to his strength.

 27 And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely..

 

I personally don't care what people wear. I care that people show up, that people love one another, help one another, serve one another. My bishop prefers that I wear a neck tie, because it's part of the "priesthood uniform." I disagreed with him, but I told him that I would be happy to wear one if he really wanted me to. He did not compel me to, but he did want me to. I've worn a tie and also a coat since then, only because I love my bishop. 

[Guest]

So... we got my deacon-aged son a sport coat and slacks to add to his church wardrobe.  We thought it would be cool to be able to wear different pants with the coat to get different looks instead of wearing the same thing every Sunday (he only has one suit because the kid grows up like a weed).  We also thought it would be good to wear for his recitals.

 

Well... he refused to wear it to church.  He said his best outfit is his suit and that is what he is wearing to sacrament.  I told him, a sport coat is just as good as a suit.  And he said - mom... Oliver Queen wears sports coat to the club and suit to his office.  So, I filed this in - just let the kid figure out what he wants to wear - folder.